


Ravencroft Hallow

by BitterSweetTeller



Series: BitterSweetTeller's Spectacular Spider-Man Series [2]
Category: The Spectacular Spider-Man (Cartoon)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aftermath Included, At least some humor, Comic Book References, F/M, Gen, Nightmare Drama, Nightmare Land, Parody, Plenty of Foes, Plenty of Spectacular Spider-Man Characters, Surprise Foes, Surprise Pairing, suggestive content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:27:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27826753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BitterSweetTeller/pseuds/BitterSweetTeller
Summary: In this sequel to Kraven's Island, Spider-man finds all of New York plunged into a nightmare realm beyond his worst nightmare. But, he has to face it all to save the world...or lose himself trying. Also a Spectacular Spider-man parody of the first Silent Hill video game.
Relationships: Mary Jane Watson/Surprise Male Character, Peter Parker/Surprise Female Character No Longer a Surprise
Series: BitterSweetTeller's Spectacular Spider-Man Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036431





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Silent Hill(video game)](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/720226) by Team Silent. 



> If you haven't read my Spectacular Spider-Man fanfiction Kraven's Island? Please do before reading this fanfiction. It follows up on it.
> 
> If you haven't seen or read up to season 2 of the Spectacular Spider-Man animated series? Please do before reading this fanfiction. It'll make more sense this way, since this is also a follow up to some things from Season 2.
> 
> For reading about the Spectacular Spider-Man animated series, you can find information about it on one or more wikis/fandom sites.
> 
> You can find and look into the comic references. But, reading them isn't required.

In the not too distant future of the Spectacular Spider-Man, on the far side of the New York city of Manhattan…

A apartment complex in yellow plaster concrete walls stands before the yellowish sunset.

On the rooftop?

There is the slightly short but very shady scientist Miles Warren.

He's now all disgustingly green, slimy...and in a Jackal green jumpsuit and gloves that fit all too well.

He's got a hot air balloon in a stadium light bulb motif: Ready to fly away.

But... Spider-man has got more than just Jackal to fight.

Spider-man is fighting his spitting image off the side of the apartment.

Or, rather… His angry clone believing he can't be the clone.

Both got web shooters and plenty of punches.

Spider-man is getting much weaker though.

His webbing has proved ineffective against his clone.

And... A lot of easy punches left him coughing hard already.

Unconsciousness can't be far behind for him.

After Harry and Gwen were reported to have lost their lives and Norman Osborn supposedly just left?

The Jackal madly turned to plotting revenge on Spider-man.

The Jackal looks around nervously.

She thinks out loud, "where is she? She should have been here!"

In the midst of the fighting…

Spider-man sarcastically remarks, "hate to break it to you, walking talking island moss man. But, your whole revenge deal? Yeah. Agent Venom saw through it easy. And, your RNA afterschool favorite is spilling plenty."

All the while... Spider-man swing kicks his clone through a window...sending him crashing through a splitting apart metal table.

The Jackal mutters under his reeking breath, "damn S.H.I.E.L.D. agents!"

He starts rigging a cartoony dynamite bomb with Spider-man's face on it.

The clone struggles back up.

As he walks on over to the window…

He figures, "oh. Slight chuckle. Now I know you can't be 100 percent me. Venom would be the wrecking ball to S.H.I.E.L.D's all Vulcan club. They're not that…desperate."

He then realizes Spider-man has just web swung up to the roof.

The Spider-man clone calls out, "hey! Get back here. We're not done yet!"

He web swings himself out the window.

He is wall climbing his way up above.

Up on the rooftop...

The Jackal is running for his hot air balloon.

Spider-man though web swings himself up and over it.

He is shooting web balls down to get him to stumble over.

The Jackal drops the ticking bomb.

It's counting from twenty seconds.

Running on instinct... The Jackal reaches for it anyway.

He calls out, "no!"

But... Spider-man kicks the bomb off the roof.

He comes back around.

He goes, "oh, no you don't. You're not getting off and making a Clone Saga on my watch."

The explosion goes off into the sunset.

Just then... Spider-man kicks the Jackal into the roof.

It collapses under the Jackal in dust and rubble.

But... Even as the Jackal falls unconscious?

He's mostly breathing normally.

From all of his exhaustion?

Spider-man nearly stumbles over himself.

He lowers himself down from the hot air balloon.

He is breathing hard and coughing something fierce.

The clone steps onto the roof.

He's gesturing like he's putting on boxing gloves.

He wonders, "all right: Where were we?"

Spider-man moderately sighs.

He is desperate to save them both.

And... He figures, "ok, ok. Hard cough! Agent Venom, right? Two words: Flash and press."

In a lot of mixed senses… The clone suddenly realizes, "ouch. I really have been born out of a tube then."

Hunched over… Spider-man adds, "maybe. But, I've fairly recently started to get out of my funk, met a amazing roommate over in Queens, and we're kind of starting to go out."

The Spider-man clone adds, "cool. Maybe I should get you to a hospital though."

He puts out a thumbs up on the first part.

Spider-man is clutching his side.

He agrees half jokingly, "yeah: Fighting yourself kind of does that."

Spider-man almost falls. But...his clone catches his fall.

The Spider-man clone apologizes, "sorry, other me."

Spider-man's vision is spinning all around.

He insists weakly, "it's ok. You…hard cough…get me to a hospital…and we'll call it even. What should I call you though?"

The Spider-man clone starts to take off on a web line...carrying Spider-man over his shoulder.

The Spider-man clone is also heading deeper into the city as he web swings.

He thinks out loud, "hmm. Not a bad idea. I'm thinking maybe Benjamin Edison or Ben Reilly. Peter? Peter?"

But... He suddenly sighs in mixed annoyance.

Spider-man is already unconscious.

Not long after, in a hospital room…

He comes to...finding himself on a hospital bed.

The hospital bed is covered by a green screen.

He expected to see Captain Stacy first thing.

But… It looks like the mask has come off without his noticing.

And, that's rarely ever a good sign.

Caryn's in a nurse uniform in all light pink.

And... She just happened to be one of the volunteers around when Peter Parker's unconscious body came.

She's holding the mask in a playful manner.

But... The smile on her face quickly evaporates at seeing how mad Peter looks.

Peter whispers harshly, "Caryn! That's so not cool. Secret identity much?"

Caryn goes wide eyed.

Caryn whispers in realization, "ohh. Sorry, Peter."

She hands him back his mask without so much as a tremble.

Several ice packs and bandages are under his costume.

From that alone? He is looking a little bulky.

Spider-man puts his mask back on.

Somewhat nervous... Spider-man says, "thank you. So, just out of curiosity… How did you know?"

Caryn chuckles softly.

She blushes a bit.

She smiles.

She answers, "oh, Peter: I'd know your awkward endearin' voice anywhere."

Spider-man is blushing under the mask.

He figures awkwardly, "umm…thanks?"

Caryn suggests playfully, "we could be a lot more than awkward."

She leans in more. But...Spider-man shifts a bit.

He points out reluctantly, "sorry. But, the last thing I want is to get caught lip locking with my mask off."

Caryn moderately sighs some.

She mostly assures, "oh yeah. But, don't be: It just oughta take some getting used to is all."

Spider-man checks uncertainly, "so…we're ok?"

Caryn comments, "my Rottweiler is the only Marine dog in the country, and my mother likes metal and thinks she was a pirate in a past life. I know weird. But, I love it."

She starts realizing that she should probably be doing nurse work and double check his condition.

She's getting on white rubber gloves first.

Sounding better already... Spider-man comments offhandedly, "take that, Parker luck."

Caryn curiously wonders, "what?"

Spider-man insists casually, "nothing."


	2. Act I: City of Symbiotes and Darkness

Two months later…

Peter is driving down the city in Caryn's purple jeep:

Going in speed bursts around corners, past cars honking at him.

Yet... His spider-sense keeps him from crashing.

He has a test tube themed T-shirt over the color blue.

The jeep's seats are padded black.

Caryn's mostly brown and black Rottweiler is in the back: Quietly staring about, alert for anything.

Oddly enough? His name is Barker.

Peter checks, "you ok back there?"

Barker just rolls his eyes before going back to staring out the windshield.

Peter sighs annoyedly.

He realizes, "right. Trick question."

He passes a green sign on the highway that says "Ravencroft, 5 Miles".

He's coming to pick up Caryn from her internship there as activities coordinator.

But... As he gets off the highway…

His Spider-sense goes off like a sonic scream.

Peter doesn't know why at first.

But, in seconds… He sees a nine year old kid with medium black hair in the middle of the road.

Peter looks wide eyed at the kid in shock.

Peter hard swerves off to avoid hitting him...trying to stay on the road.

But… The jeep hits the curb...going over the side.

Peter is left knocked out on the dash.

And... Police sirens echo like crazy.

A indeterminable amount of time after…

Peter wakes up with a groan.

He lifts his arm to try to climb out…only to realize he's somehow back in his costume.

Only... It's in a darker shade.

His costume has a silver metal arm lifting up too.

He gasps in confusion.

He can't help but wonder, "what…is all of this? And, why am I feeling like a Iron Man rip-off?"

To his mixed relief?

He find it easy to move upright with three spider-like cybernetic silver arms.

They have built-in gold lensed cameras.

But, even through them…

Barker is nowhere to be seen. Nor, any cops.

A very dim night sky is out. Or...is it even sky?

Spider-man tries to climb out with wall crawling…only for nothing to happen.

Spider-man just shakes his head...annoyedly and very nervously.

He climbs out with his new cybernetic arms.

And... He is just finding out the jeep has turned into a Spider-Mobile:

With very eco-friendly parts and a red and blue Spider-man theme.

He faintly smiles under his mask.

He figures, "hmm. Would be a shame to leave this nice buggy out here."

The smile quickly fades though.

For... He realizes something.

He realizes, "only…where the hell is here?"

The streets are gone. The cars are gone.

Black and red symbiote goo ripples through holy cross covered floorboards.

Screams and weeps echo like a badly done amphed up children's choir. Obsidian statues of symbiote covered people stand scattered and open mouthed.

Trees swarming in symbiotes tower over it all…into pitch black.

Before much more can be said…

The goo starts rippling toward Spider-man.

He wastes no time setting the Spider-Mobile back up with his cybernetic arms.

And... He hurriedly climbs in.

He straps himself in.

Very shaken sounding... He figures, "well…here's hoping I can just outrun that whole Dark Matters episode."

He starts the engines.

The Spider-Mobile lights up with Spider signal headlights...bending distortedly under the pitch blackness above.

It starts off…roaring through the black tentacles of goo coming up.

The tentacles are coming up to try to grab the Spider-Mobile.

Spider-man soon finds himself surrounded.

Though… In relief…

He finds the dash.

The dash is with a transparent compartment...stocked with a endless supply of webs and a matching wire filled joystick to target with.

Slightly amused... Spider-man comments, "huh. I'm smarter than myself now. How do you like me now, symbiotes? How do you like me now?!"

He fires thirty rounds of webs...ensnaring a bunch of tentacles to part the way.

They break free.

But... Before they can catch up to him?

Spider-man takes the Spider-Mobile speeding down the corner.

He thinks to himself, "ok, Parker: Think. Where would be a good place to figure out what…is up?"

He then sees the kid again:

Tracing out some black web lines out of the goo…completely unaware of what it really is.

Frustratedly... Spider-man mutters under his breath, "really? Really now?!"

He drives straight through a then shattering glass window display.

He keeps driving after the kid.

Spider-man gets ready with some webbing from his wrist web shooters.

He calls out, "hey, kid! Didn't your mother tell you not to play in the street?"

He cups his hand over his mask some so that the kid can more quickly hear him.

Teary eyed... The kid says, "she left. Help him. Please!"

Spider-man web slingshots himself out of the Spider-Mobile...heading for him.

The Spider-Mobile goes on without him...splashing through a big wad of goo.

Spider-man is web swinging onward.

And... He somewhat nervously calls back, "sorry! But…help who?!"

The kid faintly echoes, "help my fa…ther… Ahh!"

The goo starts to swarm around him…transforming him into obsidian before his shaken panicked expression.

Spider-man cries out, "no!"

He tries to make it in time.

But...

He lands there…just as the kid turns into a open mouthed statue like the rest.

Spider-man hears flashes and echoes of Gwen, Harry, Liz, John Jameson, Mark Allan, and Eddie Brock's voices calling out from the black…practically screaming at him.

They shout over and over, "why couldn't you save us? Why couldn't you save us, Peter?!"

Spider-man is teary eyed under his mask.

He runs off confused and angrily.

Soon...

He catches up with the Spider-Mobile.

Except… It's crashed into the Oscorp building:

Unexplainably there in the middle of nowhere.

Spider-man sighs to himself in mixed feelings.

He lets down his arms as he does.

He thinks out loud, "great. Something else for the expense account… Sigh! And Gwen and Harry are… Wait. They're in France. Right? Unless…I'm in France. Or…"

Suddenly… A electrified blast hits him.

He goes crashing into the elevator.

The lights go out.

Spider-man dizzily tries to get up in the pitch black.

That's when he's seeing the only light around.

He sees a electrically charging tip on a battlesuit's tail.

And... He sees a guy in a scorpion battlesuit in classic green:

Electrically charging tip on the battelsuit's tail and all.

In flashes, coming up to Spider-man like webbed up news…

Even after Eddie Brock was sent to Ravencroft… Mac Gargan was desperate to prove Spider-man is Peter Parker.

Mac Gargan turned to Norman Osborn's supervillain program voluntarily.

A pic shows a certain devilishly grinning reporter guy in kind of tall black hair.

He's bulking up in Norman Osborn's superpower giving chamber…with his mostly gray camera just outside.

After that… It didn't take much to set Mac Gargan as Scorpion on Spider-man.

Norman Osborn got himself a early release with the Gobulin Green as his bailout. The creep.

On a black old fashioned tape recorder… A recording of Norman Osborn plays, "it doesn't matter what you think his identity is. Venom had the right idea: It just needs a jolt of electricity to do the job."

With his high toned but sleazy voice… Mac Gargan voices, "all right. But, I need a mask. I got a identity of my own to protect, you know."

Norman says, "I figured as such. My people are working on the finishing touches for a battlesuit as we speak."

Mac Gargan offhandedly laughs. He all too lightly motions up some.

He says, "then count me in."

A pic shows Scorpion swinging his tail into a stunned Spider-man...right through a apartment building.

Though... In the next pic?

It shows Spider-man having led Scorpion to the docks…so he could leave him stunned on the edge by getting him to short circuit his own tail.

Then… Fate played a fitting cruel hand on Scorpion.

Thanks to Peter Parker's pictures of Scorpion and Mac Gargan linking the two?

Spider-man and J. Jonah Jameson drove Scorpion mad.

A few pics fly by with the news headline "Mad Reporter Stung By His Own Tail".

If he ever returned… He'd certainly have a grudge against the two for ruining his life.

But, with Spider-man swinging around… That's sure not going to happen.

-a opinion piece submitted for your approval by Sergeant Stan Carter

Presently…

Spider-man groans.

He realizes, "Scorp."

Spider-man coughs hard.

And... Scorpion continues to menacingly stand there.


	3. Act II: The Elevator Ride Down

Spider-man remarks, "mind… Hard cough! If we take this somewhere where you don't destroy your best man's crib?"

Almost gruff sounding… Scorpion mutters, "always the little annoying webhead. Now stay down like a good little kid, Parker…and let me finish it."

Spider-man faintly laughs.

He points out, "you really don't know me at all, do you? I may have been called many things. But, I'm not a overgrown kid like you, Mac."

He points at Scorpion on the last part.

Scorpion angrily shouts, "enough!"

In the pitch black…

Venom's face suddenly appears:

Laughing all around in a twisted funhouse of sorts.

He remarks, "we agree. Allow us to help shut him up."

Spider-man is getting up…only for Venom's symbiote tentacles to wrap around him like a grease colored mummy.

Spider-man mumbles fiercely under the symbiote tentacles.

Flashes go by:

Of Spider-man's short but intense time as the black suited Spider-man, of the creation of Venom when he tried to destroy the symbiote…and of the destruction and terror that Venom struck out upon Spider-man and his very identity.

Scorpion cruelly comments, "tempting. But, what good is finishing him all wrapped up like a Christmas tree?"

Venom argues intensely, "cause it's the only way to finish him, you overeager little green man! Give him even some room, and he takes off."

Scorpion and Venom glare intensely at each other.

Scorpion figures, "we're in your city, moron! What room? Besides, he and J. Jonah ruined my life. I should finish him: Not you!" 

Venom mutters back, "get in line, Mac! You'll have your turn to beat him up. But, we were here first."

He points at himself on the last part.

All the while… Spider-man looks amused under his mask toward Scorpion and Venom.

Spider-man is thinking, "wow. Slight chuckle. Maybe I should just sit back and let these supercharged tempered children go after each other instead of me. But, then again…where is here? And, how do I know this isn't all just the symbiote playing mind games somehow after years of being able to reform itself back to full?"

Then... Spider-man thinks of something else.

He presses down the tips of his cybernetic arms hard against the symbiote tentacles…making Venom shriek in mental pain.

Venom retracts his symbiote tentacles.

Spider-man tumbles out of the way of more incoming symbiote tentacles from the walls.

Spider-man is landing on his feet.

He slightly chuckles in mixed relief.

Spider-man taunts, "in your own city, and you're still too slow for dodgeball! Oh yeah. And, what kind of name is named after a sloppy joe?"

Scorpion angrily swings his electro-mechanical tail into Spider-man…crashing him against the elevator wall and seriously denting it.

Venom is sending off more symbiote tentacles towards Spider-man.

Only... Spider-man has vanished from the elevator.

Venom shrieks.

Venom then screams, "you idiot! You're destroying us and our precious city!!"

His symbiote tentacles dance in a shivering dance.

Scorpion sighs irritatedly.

He argues, "wouldn't have to if you were much help."

Scorpion and Venom fiercely glare at each other.

Venom orders, "just go get him!"

He frustratedly throws his arms out in one direction.

Around then... 

Spider-man is using his cybernetic arms to tightly crawl out through the big dent:

Even whilst coughing hard and losing consciousness.

Scorpion charges right for him.

Spider-man and Scorpion are both throwing punches...while plummeting down a seemingly endless elevator shaft.

Spider-man shields himself with two of his cybernetic arms to block his punch.

And... He slams those cybernetic arms forward while punching him off his third cybernetic arm.

A dazed Scorpion goes flying into the side of the shaft…vanishing in the pitch black.

Spider-man calls back, "sorry! But, something tells me you're not really finished."

He finds himself almost at the spiked bottom.

But... He uses his webbing to slingshot himself off for the elevator.

Unfortunately?

The elevator itself starts having a laughing Venom face.

He taunts, "very astute, Peter Parker. But, in here…your physics are nothing to us!! All that matters is that we're your destruction!! Laugh! Say good night, Parker!"

The elevator charges down for Spider-man...sparking off at high speed.

Spider-man gasps.

He struggles to stay conscious. He keeps coughing hard.

He struggles to hold off the elevator with all the cybernetic arms and webbing he's got.

But... Without his powers working?

He grimly realizes full well the cybernetic arms and webbing are lifelines.

He keeps making webs to cushion the elevator's descent.

But... It's not slowing much.

Spider-man groans hard. He coughs hard.

The spikes dizzily come for him.

But... He persists.

And... He realizes in his thoughts, "huh. In here…it's not just that Spider-Mobile that has unlimited webbing. Or, I'd be fresh out of… Well, everything. Well... Faint laugh. Time to…really test it."

He grabs on to all the webs around him:

Cybernetic arms and all.

And... He rapidly fires more webs all around him: From under and above.

His suit tears all over. He's sweating in dizziness.

Two blankets of webbing are forming all around him...as he's collapsing more and more from exhaustion.

Most of it tears.

But... There sure is still plenty to hold off the now faceless elevator.

Spider-man lands between the spikes…falling unconscious on the cold floor.

Some time later…

Spider-man comes to:

Finding himself in a room in Ravencroft, and on a stretcher.

A heart monitor and hints of suction cupped wires is barely made out to the right.

Dr. Kafka checks uneasily, "you ok?"

Her black kind of short hair is visible.

A faint greenish glow shrouds the place top to bottom. A TV set on wheels is near.

And... A full moon is seen outside a barred off big hole in the wall…before a starless sky.


	4. Act III: Ravencroft, Red Symbiotes in Town...and Why The Lasers Now?!

Spider-man tries to sit up.

But... Dr. Kafka gently sets him back down.

She somewhat lightly insists, "easy! You were knocked out cold and looked like hell. Please get some rest."

Spider-man groans.

He is feeling some moderate back pain.

He says, "as much as I'd like to just rest, doc… I got a city to save. And, these cybernetic arms can carry my weight around just fine."

Dr. Kafka sighs sadly.

She starts to say, "we know. But…it's more complicated than that."

Spider-man asks nervously, "then Dr. Kafka... You mind telling me what the hell is going on?"

Dr. Kafka looks nervous toward him.

Dr. Kafka figures admittedly, "maybe I have a little problem with vigilantism. But, with not much other options left…" 

Spider-man impatiently says, "yes?"

Dr. Kafka reveals, "yes. Heavy sigh. I'll tell you. We don't know much of what's happening either. We mostly just know that a criminal has taken over the city with very high mental powers: A man in a gold helmet that's calling himself Mister Alchemax."

Spider-man mutters, "great. Another villain. So…who…?"

Then... He sees a man beast like being silvery blue like the side of the moon.

He's got a wolf head, red eyes, wolf like claws, and mostly human legs and arms.

Yet... He's in a dark blue formal uniform:

With a shiny ruby gemstone neck plate and matching cuffs.

The Man-Wolf wonders, "how are you, Spider-man?"

With a weird feel of things... Spider-man figures, "could be a little better. But…thanks. Wait. How do you…?"

He puts a contemplative hand over his mask.

The Man-Wolf introduces himself, "ohh. Sorry. I'm John: John Jameson."

Sounding impressed... Spider-man goes, "wow. You...you got that power you wanted, and then some."

Man-Wolf figures, "yeah. Not sure how exactly. I just woke up like this. Still… Whatever is going on, it's goodbye spores. Hello, ladi… I mean youngish high school charm."

He quickly changed his tune after just remembering Dr. Kafka is there.

Man-Wolf shrinks back some.

Spider-man tries hard not to chuckle some.

Dr. Kafka just slightly chuckles.

She somewhat lightly tries to assure, "it's ok. You can get it out of your system."

Man-Wolf blushes a bit. But, he tries not to let on.

Spider-man butts in, "speaking of out of our systems…what about Venom?"

He kind of points over to the side of the medical bed.

Man-Wolf recalls, "yeah. He was trapped pretty good. But, we pulled him out."

Spider-man sits up.

He's exclaiming hotly, "you did what?!"

He glares right at Man-Wolf.

Dr. Kafka is about to tell Spider-man to lie down. But...she thinks better of it here.

Somewhat nervous... Man-Wolf tries to argue, "he may have done some questionable things. But…"

Spider-man shoots back, "yeah? Try vile. He almost finished off the lives of the ones I care about, turned the entire city against me, and tried to unmask me in front of hundreds! And, you know what? Even when he sunk into a funk when what little left of the symbiote left, I tried to let him down easy to let go of the hate. Guess what? Nothing changed. Zilch. Zero change! Bringing Venom along is just asking for it."

He gestures a zero on the next to last part.

Man-Wolf admits, "ok. Maybe you're right."

Spider-man adds irritatedly, "thank you."

Man-Wolf puts out there firmly, "but he doesn't like Mister Alchemax either."

Spider-man sighs heavily.

Somewhat defeatedly... He concludes, "ok. And, just who is this Alchemax guy anyway?"

Man-Wolf concludes, "we don't know. All we know is that someone was recently brought into Ravencroft. But, with his apparent mind powers…we don't know for sure."

Spider-man is quick to conclude, "wait. You also let that guy just walk right in?!"

He points a accusing arm at Man-Wolf. But...Dr. Kafka says something first.

Dr. Kafka explains uneasily, "no: We just thought he lost it. We weren't informed well enough to know: Likely for the same reason we still don't know much about him."

Man-Wolf gives a solemn look.

Spider-man solemnly realizes, "ohh. His powers?"

Dr. Kafka solemnly nods.

She concludes, "we believe so."

Spider-man comes to conclude, "that powerful, huh? Well… Heavy sigh. I'd like to still go on record as saying that this is a bad idea. But, we'll try it your way."

Man-Wolf faintly smiles bittersweetly.

He says, "good enough. We leave as soon as you're ready."

Spider-man insists stubbornly, "part of the superhero job is to always be ready."

Dr. Kafka tries to argue, "but, you're not…!"

Spider-man faintly chuckles.

He reveals, "amazing what some restored hope can do in here."

He shows that his moderate condition is well and good now:

Much to Dr. Kafka's slight embarrassment and major confusion. 

Man-Wolf slightly smiles.

Man-Wolf says, "all right. Let's go."

Spider-man adds, "right behind you."

He and Spider-man start off for the hole in the wall…with Venom following suit.

Not long after…

Spider-man is back in his Spider-Mobile:

Driving into the red symbiote side of town.

Man-Wolf and Venom are in the back of the Spider-Mobile.

The trees have been chopped down into burning wreckages and smashing TVs.

The red symbiote covered people are running all mad.

They're rolling dripping semi-liquid red tape on paint rollers all over the apartments…and each other.

The horrifyingly painful sound of DJ scratch artist turntables ripping itself apart rips through the streets.

And, in the midst of it all…

A distinctly familiar red symbiote suited guy is standing on a fallen You labeled box, on top of a broken painted red Tube labeled box.

With his arms wide in red symbiote tentacles?

Cletus, aka Carnage, is in his crazed laughter calling out to the red symbiote covered people.

Carnage calls forth, "spread the word! Finish all you will! Finish all you will! Burn all sense! Burn all sense!"

Spider-man checks, "are we there yet?!"

He's just eager to get this over with.

With no hidden contempt... Venom figures, "almost. He's fallen back from here to the Vault."

Spider-man keeps driving.

He reasons grimly, "and the docks aren't far off. So, what about this crazed figurehead who loves red tape more than a little too much?"

Very annoyed sounding... Venom suggests, "he has a symbiote. I have a symbiote. Do the math, webhead."

Spider-man sighs frustratedly.

He puts his arms out some.

He figures, "you know what? Fine! I'll gladly drop you off. But, only if Man-Wolf there goes with you."

He points back toward Man-Wolf.

Man-Wolf faintly chuckles.

He figures, "sounds good. Not a bad superhero name either."

Faintly amused... Spider-man adds, "thanks, Man-Wolf."

He pulls over a few miles away from the red symbiote suited guy on his soapbox.

Venom begrudgingly mutters, "fine. But, next time…I'm coming after you."

He points at Spider-man with his arms and symbiote tentacles like he almost was going to grab him.

Spider-man shoots back, "knew that was coming. But, I expected…I don't know…less obvious venom to it. Who writes your lines? Donald Trump?"

He points accusingly at Venom.

Venom coldly voices, "one of these days, I'm going to trump kick your sorrowful butt out of town. And, then we'll see who's laughing."

He quickly turns away.

Tensely... Man-Wolf urges to Venom, "come on."

Spider-man drives off...leaving Venom and Man-Wolf to charge through the mob of red symbiote covered people.

With them preoccupied?

Spider-man drives on easily.

He chuckles to himself.

He figures, "ok. That line was kind of clever."

At the docks…

He sees the Vault:

Done up like a haunted house, and with gold medieval helmets on statues of Peter's loved ones with self activating lasers for eyes.

He states nervously, "o…k. I'm officially scared now."

He's thinking to himself, "who could know so much about me to go to all this trouble…yet I don't know anything about him? Sigh. Well, Parker… Guess there's only one way to find out."

Spider-man tries to drive in with the Spider-Mobile.

But... The lasers fry it.

He side jump tumbles out in time.

But... The buggy is now a pile of bubbling ash.

Very nervous... Spider-man figures, "y...yeah. So much for that plan."

He runs in anyway…into the Vault.


	5. Act IV: Haunted Houses of Harsh Tinkering and Grinding Metal

Meanwhile…

Carnage shouts out, "who dares defy Carnage?!"

Carnage grabs the nearest red tape…absorbing it into himself.

And... As Venom and Man-Wolf charge right for him?

Ribbons of symbiote crawling strands over red tape solidify enough for Carnage to tear through piles of debris.

With not much red symbiote covered people in the way?

The flying red marked debris knocks both Venom and Man-Wolf hard into coming down piles of TVs and attic roofs.

Man-Wolf struggles to dig his way out.

But... The debris is just coming down more so.

Venom, though, shoots enough web balls to wreck his way out.

He's walking right up to Carnage.

And... Venom is getting more than a little angry.

With his symbiote tentacles doing a happy dance?

Carnage just laughs crazily up to the sky.

Then... Carnage suggests, "ohh. Eddie Brock. Sorry about knocking you around. You start painting the town red long enough, and all you see is red and gray."

Venom looks stunned.

He asks, "you…know Eddie?"

And... Using his own shock against him?

Carnage seizes the moment...putting him in a choking hold.

Strands of red symbiote are breaking through the black symbiote.

Twistedly sadly... Carnage goes on, "I was Cletus Kasady for a while. But, after years of being stuck with not even a break in from the Big Man… I've hit on the truth."

Through Cletus's eyes behind the symbiote… He recalls his time in Ravencroft:

With a ever-changing collection of metal and rock, and growing agitation day by day with Dr. Kafka's staff.

That is…until he recently found this baby red symbiote on the floor.

And... With several screams off camera… He broke out.

Presently…

With unconsciousness so near for Venom?

Venom dares to ask, "what…truth?"

Carnage whispers, "there is no real order: Only chaos and finishes."

He releases Venom from his symbiote tentacles and his arms.

Carnage does this...only to punch him out anyway.

Darkly solemn... Carnage voices, "sorry, Eddie. I admired your work on the spider guy. But, I got a city of chaos to think about. And, all you really care about is finishing him. So, I figured it'd just be easier to get it all off your hands."

And... He starts to walk away.

In the Vault, in the pitch black of night…

Hall after hall of pitch black stretches on.

Laughing Green Goblin and Venom signal lights flicker over and over.

The sounds of harsh tinkering and grinding metal ruptures all the calm.

And... As Spider-man walks on?

He hears a scream:

A distorted echoed scream.

He calls out, "where are you? Where are you?!"

He breathes heavily...feeling like hell.

And... As he pauses in the dark?

He finds himself shakily thinking back to something hellish.

Ten months earlier, on the night of graduation from Midtown High…

Peter stood out in the school courtyard.

He stood with his back to the water fountain:

In his very dark green graduation robes.

And, Mary Jane was there:

Also in graduation robes.

Teary eyed… Peter muttered, "it's all my fault. If I saw sooner that Harry was going back to the Gobulin Green, he and Gwen wouldn't have lost their lives!"

He was clenching both of his fists.

Mary Jane tried to reach out to him:

With a sympathetic hand like she so often has done.

But, this time… It just felt all the more worse to Peter.

Mary Jane tried to say, "don't be so hard on yourself. It's not like you're…"

Peter couldn't take it anymore.

He ran off.

Mary Jane tried to catch up...calling out to him.

But, he was too fast.

But... As Mary Jane caught her breath on the sidewalk?

She saw Spider-man swinging into the night: Right over a metal fence near where Peter vanished.

Suddenly teary eyed… Mary Jane came to finally realize, "Spider-man."

Into the night… Spider-man was teary eyed himself.

And, under that mask…

Spider-man thought to himself, "from now on…no one else gets hurt because of me. Hard sniffle. No friends, no girlfriend: Just me and Spider-man."

Presently, in a relative sense of the word anyway…

Spider-man was wiping away some teariness from his eyes.

Then... Spider-man goes on…opening a metal door.

He finds himself in a stone cold basement.

He says, "it's ok! I'm going to get you…out of…"

He was trying to keep calm.

Through his cybernetic arms though… He then realizes what's here.

He goes wide eyed in fear:

Because he's realized it's just a life sized doll of Black Cat...strapped with dynamite and a voice box.

The doll explodes...lighting the whole place up in smoke.

Spider-man web swings through a already crumpling wall…only for the impact of the explosion to knock him hard off his webbing.

He crashes hard through a window.

He groans hard on the wood floor.

His costume is in ribbons.

His vision is blurred.

As quickly as it comes though?

He slowly gets up…finding himself in a very dim living space.

A very familiar long gray haired woman in a red and white nurse outfit sits to the left of a unconscious very dark brown medium haired man.

The mystery man is under a white bed sheet.

In Spider-man's mind... Flashes of Uncle Ben being lost and Black Cat leaving the Vault run their course.

Spider-man voices shakily, "I...I don't understand."

And... Felicia faintly laughs.

Condescendingly... She can't help but ask, "what else is new, little spider?"

Spider-man deeply sighs.

He briefly puts a hand over his mask.

Spider-man solemnly says, "we both made some mistakes. But, it's better if I explain later: We got to get out of here before the place comes down!"

He moves his arms around desperately some.

Felicia, aka Black Cat, realizes he's serious.

And... It doesn't hurt like she thought it could.

With a mixed feel of things… Felicia admits, "better late than never. It already has. But...I had help."

And... She glances over to the mystery man.


	6. Act V: Getting So Clear to Me Now

Meanwhile…

Man-Wolf calls down, "heads up!"

Carnage looks up.

And... He's seeing Man-Wolf jumping off a pile of TVs at him.

Carnage crazily shouts, "don't mind if I do!"

Carnage morphs his symbiote arm into a tennis racket...slamming it into Man-Wolf.

Man-Wolf crashes hard into a smashing down storefront.

But... He just slightly groans.

Carnage mutters frustratedly, "a hardhead in every crowd. But, whoever you are, it doesn't matter: I'm still going to finish you!"

He shoots out symbiote spikes into Man-Wolf.

Man-Wolf is now coughing hard as he stands.

He holds onto the window frame...struggling to stay awake and breathe.

A devilishly grinning Carnage marches over.

He's about to finish it.

Then though?

Man-Wolf remarks under his breath, "oh…hard cough…I don't know. Between a rock and a hard place…"

He swing kicks himself into Carnage...making him let go.

Carnage crouch lands there.

Man-Wolf finishes, "…I'm going to go with hardheaded action hero action."

And... With a sharp groan?

He rips off his fluctuating neck plate to slice it through the wave of incoming symbiote tentacles.

But... Instead?

it unleashes a ghostly being:

Of a wolf like being in green leather like armor and yellow bands from an Other-Realm.

Carnage's symbiote shrieks away before a ghostly torch held by the ghostly being.

And... The rest of him flees in terror.

Man-Wolf moderately sighs in relief.

He realizes, "so that's what's in it."

He curls up on his side on the ground.

But... He smiles knowingly.

And... In a whispery way…

The ghostly being says offhandedly, "you're welcome."

Meanwhile…

Teary eyed... Spider-man leads on, "okay: Let's talk present."

And... He points a accussing finger at Felicia.

Spider-man cries out, "how could you?! How could you finish off the lives of those…?!"

Teary eyed... Felicia temperamentally says, "calm down already! Sigh! Mister Alchemax made sure to get everyone out so I could free my father. But... He's very weak. And, as much as I might hate to say it… Sigh. I need you. I need your help to save the city from his living nightmare that's calling himself Fusion."

Felicia finds it hard to look up on the middle part.

Spider-man thinks back to the kid's words:

Save my father.

And... Suddenly?

Spider-man goes wide eyed in realization.

Everything begins to make sense now. 

One consciousness? A father willing to risk his life for a father he barely even knows.

Another consciousness? His living ego with mind powers.

Felicia starts to mutter bitterly, "yeah. I know. Why stop at one "psycho" when…?"

More lightly... Spider-man insists, "no. I'll help. Just…trying to wrap my head around it all."

Sounding restless... Felicia moderately sighs.

She looks right at Spider-man.

And... She solemnly admits, "same here."

Then... Spider-man senses something amiss...with his cybernetic arms.

Felicia looks uneasily at him.

She asks, "what is it?"

Spider-man faintly chuckles.

With some mixed feelings... He realizes, "not what."

He quickly webs up the old fashioned lamp by the couch…trapping a yellow symbiote with a gold medieval helmet like shaped head.

It screams and screams. But, it doesn't get out.

Felicia gasps very uneasily...until she realizes the symbiote is not getting out.

Then... Felicia laughs a little.

She says confidently, "not that I mind a good scare now and then. But…something about that "thing" makes me feel like hissing."

Spider-man reflects, "not exactly the words I'd choose. But…close enough."

Nervously all of a sudden... Felicia wonders, "has one of those things affected you, by chance?"

Spider-man gulps very uneasily.

He finds it hard to look at her.

Spider-man admits, "yes. Moderate sigh. Another of my many mistakes, Black Cat. Here's hoping this isn't my last."

Felicia looks shaken.

She isn't sure what to say to him now.

Spider-man continues, "but…without a gene cleanser… Moderate sigh. I'm out of options."

He walks over to the lamp.

He takes a few deep breaths as he does.

Then... Spider-man is taking off his mask before the screaming symbiote.

He scoops it up into his mask…and goes to put it on.

Felicia is practically shouting, "what do you think you're doing?!"

Spider-man states shakily, "getting to the truth: Even if it kills me."

With very mixed feelings... Felicia cries out, "don't be stupid, Spider-man! I won't…!!"

But... Her cries start to echo more and more faintly.

And… As if time itself just froze?

Spider-man puts on the mask.


	7. Act VI: The Greatest Reward Is Seeing the Light of Day

In a whirl of noir stylized echoes of the real…

Baby symbiotes come crawling up from the sewers:

In black, red, and all sorts of other mutated colors.

One finds Cletus. One finds a man looking like Mister Alchemax.

And... Through the whirl of echoes?

Spider-man voices over:

**Guilt is hard to face.**

**I've lived with it longer than anyone else I know.**

**But, it's made me stronger. Helped me be a better man.**

**And, that was your mistake.**

**Your subconscious state hoped to destroy me with powers you never knew you had...and it attracted a symbiote all too willing to help.**

**But, even in the ghosts of my guilty conscience…**

**I know now there is hope for some of them yet.**

**Because one man seemed beyond hope. And, he's found hope again.**

**His name...is John Jameson.**

Flashes go by of Mister Alchemax in a red and blue spidery office show…only for it all to fade.

Flashes fades over to him in a average house...with a mostly brown work desk and plenty of technology designs on the table.

And... Shadows are seen in the other room:

Of a medium black haired wife and the kid from earlier sitting by the TV set.

His wife storms out after a heated argument with the man:

A man named Wayne Markley…who couldn't even acknowledge his son's name or his own wife's name.

His son... Completely pushed to the side by his own father… Then turns to imitating his favorite superhero to try to escape his father's sorely misguided perception power.

His webbing like rope broke…with him falling from the city clock tower.

Yet... A Scarlet Spider came to save him:

Leaving him with only a broken arm.

He's in a Spider-man costume, with its lower half in mostly blue over red splotches.

And, his name…is Ben Reilly.

When Wayne Markley saw the state his son was in?

Wayne Markley's own powers led him to believe he had lost his life trying to imitate Spider-man.

He almost tore through the whole hospital looking for Spider-man.

And, so… It wasn't long before Wayne Markley ended up in Ravencroft.

Spider-man's hands web up the yellow symbiote.

And... In spite of the screams of the symbiote?

Spider-man web slings it hard for a mostly silvery gray rimmed portal labeled Alchemax.

The portal starts burning up.

And... Hundreds of symbiotes start retreating in a hurry.

But... There is a silvery symbiote who left a ruby gem behind.

And... It's Man-Wolf's Godstone.

And... As soon as it has come?

The living nightmare finally fades away.

Physically and presently…

Spider-man finds himself on the balcony of a mostly silvery business tower:

A very much wrecked business tower.

Traces of red to black symbiote goo are everywhere.

The COM half of a big black sign up top is scattered over a torn apart city block. Yet, the other half remains.

It's a AE:

With a blue to green line in the middle of the E.

And... Rings of security cameras from floor to floor are hauntingly undisturbed.

Spider-man checks, "so…I'm all here? Two arms, two legs? Great."

His classic costume is torn up all over:

Even a good upper half of his mask.

But... As he is holding up his arms to check them over?

He doesn't care.

All that matters now is he's back...and the world is saved.

There may be miles and miles of unconscious people in torn up clothes and not so great condition. Some are even webbed up easy in parks across state.

But... Millions are breathing normally.

And... Thanks to resurfacing police officers?

Paramedics have finally gotten a way cleared to tend to most of the unconscious people.

Meanwhile… Many blocks away…

A S.H.I.E.L.D. extraction team via Helicarrier is taking Carnage and Venom's unconscious bodies to a high security facility.

This high security facility is called the Raft.

They're also taking up John Jameson and Dr. Kafka for further questioning.

Then... Spider-man quickly realizes he's not alone.

Felicia is standing by...in her black costume and mask as Black Cat.

With mixed feelings... Black Cat goes, "hmm…"

She puts a contemplative hand by her lips.

Spider-man wonders kind of nervously, "what? What did I do now?"

Black Cat faintly chuckles.

She very briefly looks amused.

And... She admittedly says, "a lot. You sure showed a lot more compassion that I thought you could. And… Well… Moderate sigh. Maybe you have changed, spidey. But…"

She puts her arms out some on the sighing.

Spider-man asks, "but…?"

Teary eyed... Black Cat is finding it hard to look straight at him.

Black Cat solemnly sighs, "but I need to get out of the city: To think about…a lot of things."

Spider-man somewhat shakily nods.

He solemnly says, "ohh. I see."

In a low tone... Black Cat admits, "I may even stop by: To hear you out. Just...not now."

She reaches out to his face. But...she stops herself before she can.

Spider-man very faintly smiles.

He insists, "it's ok. Certainly a lot more than I expected. But… Very faint chuckle. Sure. If you feel that way."

Black Cat firmly nods politely.

She tells him, "thank you. And... Moderate sigh. I do."

She runs off before Spider-man can say anything…down on a zip-line away.

And for a time…

Spider-man stands there on the tower in stunned silence.

Not very long after…

Spider-man makes his way back around for Ravencroft.

Only... He finds it's been totaled completely by symbiotes.

He cries out, "oh, god. No: Not again! Please not again!!"

Tears threaten to pour out from his eyes.

He desperately clears the wreckage in front of him.

But... Just as he walks into the torn up place?

He hears someone call out to him.

Somewhat nervous... She calls out, "Peter?! Come out, come out? I oughta hope you…"

It's Caryn:

With a big mining like red flashlight out.

Her open buttoned dark purple shirt is all torn. She can barely stand.

But... She's holding out fairly well:

Given that about two weeks have passed since the jeep crashed.

And... Still in his Spider-man costume?

Peter says weakly, "hey."

Caryn smiles at him.

Mostly casually... She says, "hey. I'm so thankful you're alive!"

She's already pulling him in close.

But... Peter looks uneasy.

Caryn slightly and annoyedly rolls her eyes.

Somewhat annoyed... She wonders, "all right. What is it?"

Peter checks around over her shoulder.

Peter awkwardly checks, "well... Where's John and Dr. Kafka, and the rest of…?!"

Caryn softly chuckles.

She mostly assures him, "relax, fighter. They're all fine. Well… Faint chuckle. Not so much Cletus or Eddie. But, the hell with them as far as I figure."

She smiles some.

With some mixed feelings... Peter comments uneasily, "yeah. Funny you...you should mention that. But, thanks."

He smiles some.

Caryn adds, "no problem."

Peter awkwardly thinks out loud, "hey Caryn: It's great to see you too. But...you sure though we shouldn't get cleaned up…before…?"

Caryn softly chuckles again.

Kind of amused... Caryn insists, "Peter? There'll be plenty of time for that. Now, stop worrying for one second so I can kiss you."

Peter blushes a little in embarrassment.

And... He figures, "ok."

They both smile bright.

Peter finally pulls her in closer to him.

Caryn softly chuckles at that.

And... They kiss in a warm embrace like there's no tomorrow.


	8. Epilogue

In a few days time…

Wayne Markley, believed lost in the fallout of Ravencroft, has left in overwhelming grief.

Hoping to make amends for a lifetime of ignorance?

He uses his fully realized perception powers to become the anonymous head of the Life Foundation:

Created to help form powerful government agents against alien threats like symbiotes.

And... With mountains of paperwork lost?

What's left of the company he was formerly with is remaking itself.

And... Their new name is Alchemax:

With a golden A symbol.

A few weeks later…

There's a knock on Peter's marble like white door.

Peter is all dressed up in a tuxedo.

Peter lightly calls out, "I'm coming!"

He opens the door…to see Mary Jane in a all dark blue dress.

Mary Jane is arm in arm...with Ben Reilly.

He now has his hair dyed blond. He is wearing a bluish gray T-shirt under a brown overcoat.

Peter looks stunned.

Awkwardly... Peter goes, "o…k."

Ben Reilly suggests kind of jovially, "she deduced our spider themes on her own, genius. No need to go all emo on us."

Mary Jane faintly chuckles.

She lightly waves her arm.

She starts to say, "oh, Ben. Don't mind him. He's just…"

Peter insists casually, "…joking. I know. But, thanks."

Ben Reilly and Peter smile knowingly some.

Mary Jayne smiles back.

Mary Jane casually adds, "no problem. You ready for a night on the town?"

Peter reasons, "uh, yeah. Whenever."

He casually shrugs a little.

Mary Jane goes, "great."

Peter is smiling more brightly.

Peter figures, "yeah. It really is. So…does Mary Jane know about you being a cl…?"

He's asking Ben Reilly at a near whisper.

Ben Reilly quickly says, "close lookalike? Yes. Nervous chuckle. I get that a lot. Can we go now?"

He makes a hurried gesture back to the door.

Mary Jane rolls her eyes with some amusement.

And... With a defeated wave of his hands?

Peter lowly says, "all right! God! And, you say I'm full of drama."

Ben Reilly dryly comments, "har de har har."

Mary Jane just chuckles again.

All three of them start to head out the door for a night on the town.

Peter closes the door behind them.

Back through one of the apartment windows?

There's a Spider-signal...giving way to signal lights playing of everyone that ever stood behind Peter Parker.

And... Right in the center of the signal lights?

There's a smiling Peter Parker himself...standing there arm in arm with Caryn.


End file.
